Continuing with our Islanders’ player grades for the 2019-20 season, we will be reviewing Casey Cizikas. Cizikas is one of the heart-and-soul pieces in the locker room and leads perhaps the best fourth line in NHL history. That being said, lets break down the campaign of Casey Cizikas thus far.

The Good:

Cizikas has once again played excellent hockey in the fourth line role. His numbers offensively are down slightly from his career year last season, largely due to decreased playing time from injuries, but he is still performing valiantly with 10 goals and four assists in 48 contests. He also has continued to play strong two-way hockey with strong defensive play at center and a team leading plus minus ranking at +12. Some can even argue he is the best two-way forward on the team and these last two years have backed up the claim.

The Bad:

The bad part about him isn’t on him but rather on the team around him. While it can be said that he is just a fourth line guy, he is a heart and soul and can set the tone for the Islanders early. When he’s in the lineup and everything is clicking, he is a contributor and can keep things moving. However, when he is out the Islanders can sputter, and that has been proven with several losing streaks without him in the lineup. He also has not lived up to high offensive expectations this year.

The Expectations:

The expectations for Cizikas were to continue his play last year coming off a career year with new highs in goals, points, and plus-minus ranking. Even with a hefty contract that looked high for a fourth-liner at the time of signing, he still has made the most of it. The two-way play has still been a strength of his, but the offense has been down largely due to injury. If he was healthy he’d probably have better numbers than he does now. As a result, even with a heavy contract for another few years, he still has lived up to the expectations on the ice.

The Moment of the Season:

Cizikas’ best moment came against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 13. He enjoyed one of his best two-way games of the year, but a standout moment wasn’t a highlight reel goal or play on offense, but rather it was a lights out penalty kill in which he showed why he is arguably the team’s best defensive forward. On the same shift he set up a shorthanded shot for a face-off, got a shot of his own off the draw and went all out on the boards fighting to keep the puck inside the Leafs’ zone. It was dominance of the potent Leafs’ offense that displayed the grit and tenacity that the fans and players praise about him, and it helped propel the Islanders to a successful PK and win over their former captain John Tavares and Toronto.

The Verdict:

Casey Cizikas has once again proved his value to the Islanders with another strong season. His numbers offensively are down due to injury, but he still has been as good as ever defensively and a key cog to the Islanders’ checking line. While the team may over rely on him to the point where they struggle for a bit without him, he still is a heart and soul guy and has a legit case to join the leadership group of captains in the near future.

The Grade: 92/A-

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.